Ask anyone in Super Rugby AU circles who the big improver will be in 2021, and you'll receive a largely unanimous response.
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The Western Force.
Which makes the Brumbies' season-opening foray to Australia's west coast a much tougher looking assignment then it did just five short months ago when the Force ended the season winless.
For starters the Brumbies are heading into a cauldron of potentially 20,000-plus spectators - the biggest crowd they've played in front of in two seasons.
But it's the names the Force have attracted which indicate this reborn franchise is interested in a lot more than just winning a handful of games this season.
Take former Brumbies half Tomas Cubelli, for instance - the Argentinian number nine keen to re-establish himself in Australia.
There's fearsome outside centre Tevita Kuridrani, who was at the Brumbies last year. Veteran Irishman Rob Kearney, who brings with him 95 international caps and Australian Sevens livewire Tim Anstee.
The net has been cast far and wide, and if a one-point trial loss to the Brumbies in Canberra last week is anything to go by, the new squad is already starting to gel.
"It's extremely dangerous going over there with the calibre of players that they have," Brumbies flanker Tom Cusack said.
"They've kind of brought in a star-studded team that they put together over the past couple of months, so whether the cohesion's there as a team or not, we're still yet to see, they still had a few little crinkles in the trial game as did ourselves.
"It was a good hitout to have that, in all respects they were a quality outfit. It's going to be really trying going over there.
"We also have a quality bunch of players as well. We've been able to build a nice team unity over the past couple of years."
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Issak Fines-Leleiwasa is desperate to force his way into coach Dan McKellar's matchday 23 and take the field against his old side, having emerged as a shock contender for the injured Tom Wright's position on the wing.
The scrum-half played out wide in last week's trial against the Force, and said he'd be more than happy to feature on the wing again if it meant getting a start.
"I found myself out there in training a fair bit, probably enjoyed it a bit too much," Fines-Leleiwasa said.
"[It's] good to be playing footy again so I'm excited to finally be in season."
The 25-year-old has worked harder than most to force his way into the Super Rugby AU competition.
He began as a Brumbies youngster before chasing opportunities in Queensland where he began to make waves in the National Rugby Championship.
Two years at the Force followed while they were playing lower-level rugby, before the Brumbies took him back. He made his Super Rugby debut last season and is desperate to build on that experience in 2021.
"I found myself back here at the start of last year which was a big buzz for me as I've always wanted to be a part of this Brumbies club," Fines-Leleiwasa said. "They [the Force] have obviously recruited very good. They play a tough brand of footy, they're definitely going to be a team to beat this year and they're going to be very competitive."
James Buckley
James is a Queanbeyan boy enjoying his second stint at the Canberra Times, more than eight years on from his first. In between he's traveled the world, and spent time covering sport in Sydney.
James is a Queanbeyan boy enjoying his second stint at the Canberra Times, more than eight years on from his first. In between he's traveled the world, and spent time covering sport in Sydney.
